Suggestion: New DLC Ideas – Southeast Asian Civilizations & Campaigns (Thai, Sri Lankan, Lao, Taiwanese)

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
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Hi Forgotten Empires team and AoE community!

I’d love to share some ideas for future expansions in AoE2: Definitive Edition focused on adding rich, diverse Southeast Asian civilizations and new campaigns to explore their unique histories. Here’s a rough proposal:

New Civilizations to Consider Adding:

Thai: Featuring war elephants, unique architecture inspired by Ayutthaya, with strong naval and archer units.

Sri Lankan: A civilization with Buddhist influence, clever defensive bonuses, and elephant archers or specialized spearmen.

Lao: Light cavalry and unique infantry, drawing from the Lan Xang kingdom with river-based economy boosts.

Taiwanese: A mix of indigenous and Han Chinese influences with unique trade bonuses, possibly some Dutch colonial history flavor.

Gameplay Features & Unique Mechanics:

War elephants and unique elephant units with special abilities (Thai, Sri Lankan).

River and trade-based economy bonuses (Lao, Taiwanese).

Unique buildings reflecting local architecture and cultural heritage.

Possible introduction of bank-like economic buildings inspired by AoE3 Dutch banks, adapted for these civs.

Campaign Ideas:

Thai Campaign: Explore the rise and fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and their clashes with Burmese and Khmer neighbors.

Sri Lankan Campaign: Follow the defense of Sri Lanka against South Indian invasions and colonial powers.

Lao Campaign: Experience the formation and expansion of Lan Xang, the Kingdom of a Million Elephants.

Taiwanese Campaign: Delve into indigenous struggles, Dutch colonial era, and early Han Chinese settlers.

Why These Additions?

Southeast Asia is rich in history yet underrepresented in AoE2DE.

Adds new, fresh strategic gameplay opportunities and diversity to the roster.

Fans have expressed interest in seeing these civilizations and stories represented.

Thanks for reading! Would love to see what the community thinks and if the devs would consider expanding into this fascinating region.

Happy gaming!

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All these names are too modern for aoe2.

7 Likes
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As long as these are not civs with no knights, no CA, no gunpowder and terribly weak military units I’m interested in it.

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Thats a bold claim. The grammar is a tad too unclean and it resds a little too disorganized.

You seem to shoot other ideas down a bunch. Whats your angle?

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Siamese instead of Thai and Sinhalese instead of Sri Lankans, then? Lao seems to be ok, Taiwanese has other problems anyway I think.

As I understand it, not much Han Chinese influence until the very late 16th century, and the Dutch didn’t arrive until the 17th century, so really too late for AoE2.

Other than that, the concept seems reasonable, but generally pretty vague.

Is this true? I think the only one I’ve seen suggested before is Thai/Siamese.

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That’s better for AoE 3… only the rise of Ayutthaya would fit, since it was in the 14th century (1353)… Ayutthaya only fell in 1767, very late in the 18th century (it could have been a Burmese Historical Battle in AoE 3)…

Yes, you only have history from 1000 to 1600:

  1. 11th Century: Suryavarman I (1002-1025): Conquest of Srivijaya

  2. 14th Century: Gajamada (1293-1357): Rise of the Majapahit Empire

  3. 15th Century: Le Loi (1418-1427): Liberation of Vietnam from the Ming Dynasty

  4. 16th Century: Bayinnaung (1538-1581): Rise of the Toungoo Empire

Now we’re missing a DLC set before 800 to 1300:

  1. 9th Century: Jayavarman II (780-850): Rise of the Khmer Empire

  2. 11th Century: Anawrahta (1044-1077): Rise of the Pagan Empire

  3. 13th Century: Ramkhamhaeng (1279-1298): Rise of the kingdom of Sukhotai.

Yes, that would be a better fit for AoE 3 in a SEA DLC from 1500 to 1800:

  1. 16th Century: Naresuan the Great (1584)

  2. 18th Century: Fall of Ayutthaya (1767)

  3. 19th Century: Unification of Vietnam (1802)

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I get the same vibe from the post.

These are much better names for this game.

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Great moderators removed my comment.

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An alternative for a 13 century campaign I would love to see is a Mon campaign about Wareru, he is the founder of the Hanthawaddy kingdom you fight in the Burmese campaign.

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The Siamese and Chams are the most popular candidates for this region. Other candidates might be Mons, split from the Burmese, or Javanese, split from the Malay. Besides, the Bai can also be introduced with the Southeast Asian civs as well when they can’t be a part of another Chinese DLC.

The Lao can be represented by the Siamese in the game as the Siamese can represent the greater group of Tai peoples who including both Lao and Thai (Siamese). Or someone would say just name the civ to Tai.

The Sinhalese might need to wait until a new South Asian DLC, with one or two other new civs from that region. I personally would pick the Kalachuris (central Indians) and the Khas (Nepalis).

As a Taiwanese, I would say we should not be a AoE2 civ due to the time frame.

3 Likes
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Yes, also…and by the way, you face the Mongol invasions of 1301-1303…and you put the Mon in the Bayinnaung campaign too…

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Sri Lankan or Sinhalese isn’t SE Asian but rather South Asian.

Thai & Lao are too similar to each other that they could be covered by a single Siamese civ.

Taiwanese aborigines are irrelevant to AoE 2 since they had very few contacts with the outside world prior to the 1600s. Chams, Mons, and even Tagalogs are better candidates than them.

Personally I wish to see the Chams and the Siamese the most if there will ever be another SE Asian DLC.

2 Likes